As Butterflies Flutter
by Yin YueMing
Summary: Three separate people reborn into the same Naruto 'verse with no knowledge of the others. They each have to deal with their own set of problems from incomplete knowledge to emotional panic to gender change. One butterfly causes a hurricane. What about three?
1. Prologue

**_Prologue: Three Butterflies Flap Their Wings_**

POV Akakawa Seiki

It had started out like a normal day. A boring start to a monotonous life.

Get up.

Brush my teeth.

Wash my face.

Get dressed.

Go downstairs.

Eat.

Start the car.

Get to school.

_And that was when everything went wrong_.

That spring was an exceptionally wet one. The rain had kept on pouring for about a week and there was even a rumor going around that if the weather kept like this then they would shut the school down for a while.

It's funny. It was such an important moment yet I only vaguely remember the details.

I remember pushing the accelerator as the light turned green.

I remember moving the steering wheel to turn the car right.

I remember suddenly hitting the brakes as one of my classmates (a girl, Victoria, behind me in psychology) suddenly ran into the street.

I remember not being able to stop the car in time.

I remember that sickeningly crunch.

I remember sitting frozen in shock.

I remember a honking coming closer and closer.

I remember the shocked face of another classmate (a boy, Justin, the valedictorian) as he was unable to stop the car either, the water splashing up as the wheels and brakes worked overtime, but coming down the hill just gave the car more momentum and it just kept coming and I could only keep and staring at the face, at the dawning horror on his face, and—

_I remember the Black._

The next time I was conscious was strange. I opened my eyes, pulled away from the darkness by a loud thud and piercing screams, to see an unfamiliar low ceiling. Slowly, I sat up to a strange room not at all like any that I've seen before.

As I looked around, I did not notice the woman that came in.

"Seiki-chan, you're awake! Don't worry about our parents. They're currently off fighting a monster. That's why Sei-chan is coming with Natsumi-neechan to a safer place, okay?"

I furrowed my brows, barely able to understand the Japanese that the strange woman was sprouting. What did she mean by my parents fighting a monster? Who was she to call herself my sister? Now, more than ever, I regretted not seriously learning more Japanese from my mother. Who knew that it was actually useful for something besides being able to watch anime without waiting for the subbed version to come out?

I barely had time to open my mouth to reply before the woman, Natsumi, picked me up and started out the door onto some stairs before reaching the roof where she started leaping across rooftops. Normally, I would have been in awe of this (or panicking at the lack of safety) but I had just realized some other strange changes when Natsumi had picked me up.

Instead for the body of an eighteen year-old boy who finally went through puberty, I was instead about two, _maybe _three, years-old. _Wait a minute. _I paused before discretely feeling downward, pausing again, then rested my head against the woman.

I wasn't even a guy. I was a_ freaking girl_.

Great. Wonderful.

Just as I reached this unwelcome conclusion, there was another thud, this time accompanied by a burst of light. Flames.

I looked over to see a strange orange beast with nine tails. Foxlike. Oh, that must be the monster that Natsumi was talking about.

Wait…

What.

That can't be.

I glanced to my left to see a large rock with four faces and up to see a headband with a metal band on Natsumi's forehead.

Oh. Oh dear…

"Tch." Just as I reach a very, _very_ unwelcome conclusion, Natsumi had come to a stop. "Run and find somewhere to hide. I'll come for you later. I have to go help mother and father now. Be good."

I nodded, unsure of what else I could do.

"Good girl." She patted my head. "Now go. Hide." Then she vanished in a swirl of leaves.

Yup. No doubt about it now. I was in Naruto 'verse.

In Konoha.

During the Kyuubi attack.

_I remember the panic that set in when Natsumi, the young lady, did not return, when I wandered the streets and nobody showed up claiming to be my parents, as everything that I knew of the world practically turned upside down._

_I remember the despair._

POV Himura Kazumi

I was stupid, so _so_ stupid.

I had woken up late and missed the bus. With my parents at work already, the only route I thought of to school was to run.

So I had just taken my book bag and ran and ran. I did not pay much attention to the rain, confident that I would avoid the puddles and that taking an umbrella would only slow me down.

But then so I slowed to a stop at the intersection, I slipped.

I slipped and had to run forward into the street just as the car beside me began to turn and I could only watch in horror was it came closer and closer and distantly I thought, _so this was what looking at a car crash was really like_, before—

Darkness.

Then the world was a blur with unrecognizable sounds and all funny looking. I couldn't understand what was happening, was it the crash? Was I dead? _What was going on?_

I couldn't move like I wanted, couldn't speak. My breasts were missing; I had a heavy weight between my legs; my limbs were all too short. The world seemed so big and wrong, _wrong, wrong._

But slowly my vision cleared up and slowly, I began to understand what those around me were saying. I recognized some words easily.

_Himura Kazumi._ My name.

_Shinobi_. Ninja

_Konoha, Konohagakure_. Village Hidden in the Leaves.

Then, I truly began to understand the situation I was in. _Naruto_ was not a story I religiously followed, but I knew some of the basic plot, especially the world-building which I found interesting.

As I continued to look for clues which validated my theory, I still was not sure. I had not been outside yet, so I did not anything extremely identifying, only clues that could have been affected by what my psychology teacher called confirmation bias—that I only looked at clues that fit my theory.

But then October 10th came. The Kyuubi attacked. There was no doubt. This was definitely Naruto.

My 'mother' and 'father' of this world died during the attack, leaving me to live with my grandmother. Unfortunately or fortunately, my only relative was under the misconception that I was a girl (which I was, a few years ago) and gave me a bunch of girl clothes to wear. I was perfectly fine with that.

It was also during this time that I realized something. Currently I was still in my "adult" brain, not exactly going the various stages of development that I should be going through.

I worried about how this would affect my memory of events, how my behavior was compared to other kids, that my teacher once said people did not remember events before three. What if I forget all of the stuff that I barely remember even now?

I began writing some things down that I remember; in that script that nobody else seemed to know. Grandmother thought I was just doodling, creating my own secret language.

I did not know this situation well so I'll do what I usually do. Observe and act accordingly.

There is time before the end comes.

POV Akiyama Aoi

My name is Akiyama Aoi. Born into a civilian merchant clan in the great village of Konohagakure during the era of peace right after the Third Great Shinobi War, I have never been outside of the village.

Aoi means both "blue" and "hollyhock," a plant that symbolizes ambition. I am the first second-born in the main branch of the clan and thus, the first chance for a ninja in the main branch. After all, they would never even accidentally risk the clan heir for such a dangerous position.

I was always the weird child, though I had to admit that it was partially true. It was never _my_ fault, you see, but I would have flashes of strange places and unfamiliar people. When I first told my parents or my elder brother of these, they would always laugh, commenting on my vivid imagination.

My brother then told all his friends about my weird attention –seeking ways which was why they started taunting me. It wasn't just about my flashes which I learned to keep quiet about, but also how I knew the strangest things, like some of the math problems that he was doing, but not know the most basic social stuff like bowing.

Still, life continued with me being my normally weird self with these flashes of a strange world that I receive. Once I learned to write, I began recording these strange almost-memories that I receive, one that soon paints a very bad image.

I was reborn in a world that was once only a story to me—one filled with death and grief.

Well then, I just won't die.

**~PageBreak~**

So instead of having one OC inserted into Naruto, I wanted to try to see what would happen if three separate people with varying knowledge of Naruto, who _knew_ each other vaguely, were taken to be in the same Naruto 'verse _without knowing that the others are there._ In other words here are there situations:

**Akakawa Seiki: **In the 'real' world, Seiki was actually an eighteen year-old male known for his athleticism. After the accident, he woke up as a three-year-old girl Seiki. He was no memories of Seiki as she was when she was younger. Seiki's problems include:

Dealing with the fact that she's now a girl.

Dealing with being an orphan with no clue of her place in the world.

Dealing with very limited knowledge of Naruto because all she knows is second-hand from friends.

Dealing with the child's mindset and subsequent problems and development. (though this will mostly be seen later as she interacts with others)

She is dealing with the whole situation with terror and panic.

**Himura Kazumi:** In the 'real' world, Kazumi is a quiet girl who likes to observe but has trouble talking with others, shy. After being run over, Kazumi was literally reborn as a son into a family of a civilian mother and first-generation shinobi. He retains an adult brain and mind. His problems:

Dealing with the fact that he is now a boy whose grandmother believes is a girl.

Dealing with feeling the loss of parents. (who he grew attached to in the two years prior to the attack)

Dealing with knowledge of Naruto mainly from fanfiction.

He resolves to watch before acting.

**Akiyama Aoi:** In the 'real' world, Aoi is basically the acknowledged valedictorian of the grade. He died on impact after crashing into Seiki's car. He was literally reborn into Naruto 'verse with no concrete knowledge of his past life. Instead, it comes in flashes which he later takes to recording. His problems:

Dealing with clan politics.

Dealing with bullying.

Dealing with incomplete Naruto knowledge and must be pierced together.

He resolves to be strong enough not to die as so far he does not care about the actual plot.


	2. Chapter 1: Halcyon Days

**_Chapter 1:_**

Even two years after the Kyuubi attack, the orphanages in Konoha were still packed full. With the sudden influx of orphans, the overworked caretakers had no way to take care of all the children, even with the additional aid packages sent. As such, many of the children were often left to their own devices.

Akakawa Seiki was a strange child, many of her fellow orphans would note. She did not act like a girl at all. And she would always say some weird stuff that didn't make sense. (Machines that can help people fly? Weirdo)

Seiki herself, though aware of and despise the isolation she found herself in, decided that it was still the best course of action to keep to herself. Her brain, a combination of adult memories yet a childish mindset did not help her decision very much (the immature and disgusting way that the children act), nor did the constant isolation by her peers (_Clumsy Seiki tripped on flat ground again ha ha. She's so weird!)_.

Seiki had decided not to go near Naruto. Never mind the plot, the toddler was so _loud_ and _irritating_. (The brunette refused to think about the Kyuubi and the scary aura it presented. The fires and the destruction and the death of the family that she never knew, but it landed her in the orphanage, in this situation, and it was _all his fault_)

She hummed to herself a distant melody as she slowly walked down the streets of the market. Though she could not afford anything, as the orphan funds barely gave any allowance at all and the money she earned delivering messages wasn't much, (she vaguely remembered a lesson on supply and demand. Too many workers and not enough messages) but that didn't mean that she couldn't _look_.

She passed the stores with longing glances aimed at the clothes, the food, the books…well pretty much everything. Seiki never realized how comfortable her previous life was until now. Now that she couldn't have anything, she wanted _everything_.

**~Break~**

"Start over Kazumi" a gray-haired woman ordered. "You are slouching"

Himura Kazumi straightened from her almost unnoticeable slouch, "Yes grandmother. I apologize," he said, before starting over on the complicated process of the tea ceremony.

As he continued, her strict grandmother nodded in satisfaction. "The tea ceremony is a long standing tradition that all proper ladies should learn. It embodies the four basic principles of harmony, respect, purity, and tranquility. As a proper young lady, you too, should embody these four principles."

"Yes grandmother" Kazumi replied.

If Kazumi was not previously an eighteen year-old girl whose mind was then reborn with memories complete, the almost five years-old boy would definitely not have survived living with his delusional grandmother who still thought Kazumi was a girl. As it was, Kazumi who was still in the mindset of girl and as such, did not mind.

In fact, he figured since it was interesting and potentially useful for a shinobi in the future and since his grandmother's place was a stable environment, there was no need for a change in the status quo.

Though, Kazumi frowned, there was the problem of Naruto. Most of his knowledge on this universe was from fanfiction and as such, he didn't really have any concrete facts, especially since he didn't know what his existence might change.

But in most of the fanfiction he did read with OC-inserts that befriended Naruto drew the attention of the Hokage, which he didn't really want. Sure, the Hokage had the power to help, but it would make everything complicated because he might trust Kazumi and instead move independently.

Or_ Danzo_ might possibly find out and then maybe Orochimaru and some others too.

Or maybe they would think Kazumi was a spy and lock him up.

Or…

There were just too many variables.

It's probably best to leave Naruto alone for now. Besides, the child would only be about two years-old. (It definitely was not because the blonde housed the Kyuubi who could possibly be well aware and conscious of the world through the seal or that his parents, who he still remembers and in a way treasures deeply in his heart, had died because of the beast. It wasn't because he was _scared_ of the Nine-Tails, of course not.)

"Kazumi. You are not concentrating," his grandmother's voice snapped him out off his thoughts.

"I'm sorry grandmother," he replied, once again focused, at least partially, on the ceremony at hand.

**~Break~**

Akiyama Aoi, second child of the main branch of the wide-spread merchant clan of Akiyama, was rumored to be a strange child. Unlike his elder brother Akiyama Hideki, Aoi did not interact and play well with others. Instead, he preferred the comfort of books and solitude.

The truth was that Aoi longed to play with his brother and his friends. He wanted to tag along and be social. But Aoi could not endure the taunts and teasing so he stuck to his books and scrolls.

Deep inside his heart, he knew that his current life could not continue.

His father had already began to subtly hint about the Academy. His mother was pulling away contact, withdrawing emotionally. He could hear the whispering of the other clan members.

_"Hiroshi wants his youngest to be a shinobi-the first of the main branch."_

_"That little boy? Poor dear."_

_"He has no chance. He's gonna die"_

Aoi just gritted teeth, trying to refrain from snapping. After the first few times he had yelled at the gossipers and been scolded by his parents in return, Aoi realized that it was probably better to just ignore everything. Instead, he decided to concentrate on getting down all of the pseudo-memories he received and to piece them together in order.

There were the memories of another place, of strange machines called _cars _and _buses_, of devices called _phones_ which were so useful and so much faster than messenger-hawks._  
_

Then there were the memories of Konoha. It was in a strange perspective, from some sort of screen that played animated pictures of the shinobi. Aoi would have thought that the story was unfolded was absurd...until he saw a tiny blonde boy sitting alone, away from the other kids.

Taking a chance, he had approached the boy. "Hello, my name is Aoi. What's your name?"

The boy looked up suspiciously. "...Uzumaki Naruto."

Aoi smiled. "Hi Naruto, do you want to play with me?"

As the boy narrowed his eyes (rather hilariously) the conversation was interrupted by Hideki.

"Oi, otouto. You shouldn't go near that freak."

Aoi cocked his head innocently. "Freak? Why not?"

Hideki scowled, "Cuz I said so. And mom and dad did too, don't you remember? I'll tell them that you talked to him even though they said not to."

Ah. That's right, they did. Well, he did accomplish his original goal. Uzumaki Naruto. It seems that perhaps what he saw might come true. In that case...

Aoi turned to the boy, "Well, maybe next time then. I'll see you later Uzumaki Naruto," he told the kid before waving and going back to his books.

Time for some more research and studying.

**~Break~**

Seiki hugged the book tightly. She had found the book as she was scavenging for some goods to keep or pawn off.

_The Prince_ by Niccolo Machiavelli

The little book was the first sign in _years_ that her life before was not a dream. Though it was hard for her to read since it was in English, she was elated because it was in _English_.

It was proof.

It was safety from the chaos of this world.

It was _hers_.

That night, she went to bed early at the orphanage, determined to wake up with the sun to start reading the book without anyone asking questions. (There was a saying wasn't there? _Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise_)

She was going to survive in this world. She was going to live and _enjoy_ life.

**~Break~**

Kazumi just barely refrained from sighing quietly as his strict grandmother taught him some of the more complicated flower arranging patterns. Learning these lessons were fun and all, but the cross-dresser was worried the years to come.

He had already met the Hyuuga when grandmother was summoned to help teach Hyuuga Hinata some of the basic lessons for being a proper lady. It seems that he would definitely have contact with the Hyuuga clan, but how would that change the storyline?

Kazumi sighed, well, he couldn't do anything about it, so might as well see what happens.

The only thing that he can do now is learn what his grandmother teaches and later, enroll into the Academy and become a shinobi which was really the only route he could go.

"Kazumi, stop sighing. It's not very becoming of a young lady."

"Yes grandmother."

It will work out. It _has_ to work out.

**~Break~**

Aoi sat alone in the library, mounds of books around him. The history he learned from the flashes definitely corresponded with the history text books. But that meant that the strange man in the mask, the Fourth Great Shinobi War...they were all real too...

The second-born pinched his nose, an odd look to those passing by.

This meant that the future was going to be very troublesome. He was definitely going to be a ninja. He was going to survive.

Aoi was going to prove everyone wrong. He was going to be a shinobi and finally _live_.

**~Break~**

Seiki grinned in relief as her name was called.

She was not sure if she was going to be chosen when the shinobi had visited the orphanage to find potential students with her odd combination of incomplete memories and childish mind so she had tried her best on the tests. Her whole plan would have fallen apart if she couldn't get into the Academy.

Now her plan was a go. Her good mood didn't even falter when she heard "Uzumaki Naruto" be called. Instead, she turned to grin at him, a grin that caused a suspicious look on his face which was understandable since she basically ignored his entire existence. But Seiki didn't understand so seeing the look, her face turned into a sneer before turning away.

She was going to Academy and be genin and _finally_ get out of the orphanage and earn money and live. Nothing was going to bring her mood down.

**~Break~**

Kazumi sat seiza in front of his grandmother. "Grandmother. I wish to attend Academy."

His grandmother paused in her dance movements. "Very well. If that is what you wish, I cannot stop you. But your lessons with continue."

"Thank you grandmother," he said gratefully.

"Now don't be distracted. Follow my movements."

The lesson continued as if the conversation never happened.

**~Break~**

"Son. It is time to enroll you into the Academy" Akiyama Hiroshi told his second-born as the family sat to eat dinner.

Aoi did not pause in his movements. He swallowed the food.

"Yes father," he said, surprising the family by not protesting as he normally would any other order.

Not willing to look a gift horse in the mouth, Hiroshi merely nodded. "Good."

The meal continued in silence.

**~Break~**

Akakawa Seiki closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Her hand clutched her precious book, its many lessons at the front of her mind. "_A prince should always try to appear virtuous, but that acting virtuously for virtue's sake can prove detrimental to the principality,"_ echoed in her mind.

The morning bell rang.

It was time.

**~Break~**

Himura Kazumi refrained from pausing at the door as many of the other new students did, opting to focus on finding a good seat.

His grandmother's words rang in his head. "_Remember: harmony, respect, peace, tranquility."_

He blinked and sat up even straighter.

**~Break~**

Akiyama Aoi sat in his seat, and waited for the teacher by reading instead of socializing like many of his new classmates did.

A phrase from a memory popped into his mind. _"Knowledge is power"_

He shook his head and shut out the sounds of the children around him.

**~Break~**

Uzumaki Naruto was so excited, he couldn't sit still. He was going to be a ninja!

**~Break~**

The door slammed shut.

"Hello everyone. I am Funeno Daikoku and I'll be in charge of you lot for the next year."

_The second hand began to tick. The time has come. And so it begins._

**~Page Break~**

So all three have come to some sort of resolve. Naruto is in the Academy because the three are ~2 years older than Naruto and since Naruto failed the Academy test twice before he passed, they're all in the same class in the very beginning.

Next chapter: Academy Days Part 1


End file.
